NFPA Journal - January/February 2014 - (Page 30)

>> FIREWATCH from our files by Ken Tremblay Smoking materials were blamed for a fire in a two-story apartment building in Massachusetts. The blaze resulted in an estimated $2 million in damage. Residential Smoking material fire damages apartment building MASSACHUSETTS-A fire that started on the porch of a two-story apartment building spread into concealed attic spaces and quickly consumed the wooden roof trusses, causing the roof to collapse. The living spaces and common hallways of the 16-unit, wood-frame apartment building, which was 200 feet (61 meters) long and 50 feet (15 meters) wide, were protected by a wetpipe sprinkler system with water flow alarm, and each unit was equipped with battery-operated smoke alarms. Activation of the fire alarm provided notification to the fire department. The fire department responded to a 911 call and the automatic fire alarm at 5:36 p.m., and firefighters arrived five minutes later to find heavy fire coming 30 NFPA JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 from the front and right side of the upper floor and roof. As the building's occupants evacuated, firefighters entered the structure with hose lines to conduct a primary search. After crews vented the roof, the incident commander pulled everyone from the building and ordered a defensive attack and additional resources. It took approximately 75 minutes to bring the fire under control. Local and state investigators determined that the fire started when smoking materials discarded in a planter on a second-floor porch ignited organic material in the planter. Flames spread rapidly along the building's exterior siding and into the attic because sprinkler protection was limited to the apartment units and did not cover the porch or the attic. The fire department report did not note whether any sprinklers activated during the fire. The building, valued at $1.75 million, and its contents, valued at $452,000, sustained a combined loss of more than $2 million. There were no injuries. Lack of working smoke alarms delays detection of fatal fire ILLINOIS-A fire of undetermined origin that began in the first-floor living room of a single-family house killed a 38-year-old woman, her 9-year-old daughter, and her 7-year-old son. Although the father was overcome by smoke, he survived. The two-story, wood-frame house, which was 50 feet (15 meters) long and 25 feet (8 meters) wide, had a single battery-operated smoke alarm with no battery and no sprinklers. A neighbor called 911 at 2:22 a.m., and firefighters arriving four minutes later found heavy fire and smoke com- Photograph: Robert Whitlow

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - January/February 2014

NFPA Journal - January/February 2014
Contents
First Word
In a Flash
Perspectives
In Compliance
First Responder
Research
Wildfire Watch
Outreach
Firewatch
#Are You Prepared?
Life and Death at Memorial
Barrier Smarts
Perfect Storm
Conference & Expo Preview
Section Spotlight
Product Showcase
Looking Back

NFPA Journal - January/February 2014